Federal Detention Center (FDC) – Philadelphia

Federal Detention Center (FDC) – Philadelphia's comprehensive information to help guide you through the federal prison process, specifically on how to remain connected to your inmate while they are incarcerated.

The FDC-Philadelphia is a federal prison located at 700 Arch St in Philadelphia, PA. This federal maximum (FDC) security prison is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to hold inmates who have been convicted to and sentenced for a federal crime through the US Department of Justice (DOJ).

Locate all federal inmates here. If you would like to speak with a case manager or counselor, call 215-521-4000.

The Federal Detention Center (FDC Philadelphia) is a United States Federal prison in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania which holds male and female inmates prior to or during court proceedings, as well as inmates serving brief sentences. It is operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a division of the US Department of Justice.

The jail, across from the William J. Green Jr. Federal Building, is on a 1-acre site the southwest corner of Arch Street and 7th Street, across from the Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum and in the Independence Mall area.

The jail is 12 stories tall. It has 628 cells for the United States Marshal Service pre-trial inmates, primarily from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the District of New Jersey and the District of Delaware. Federal Detention Center Philadelphia is also a United States Parole Commission Revocation Site. 120 prisoners, already sentenced, serve as staff. The prison is connected to a tunnel that allows people to travel to and from the James A. Byrne United States Courthouse.

Housing: Inmates are housed in either two or three-person cells or dormitories. Each 96-square-foot prison cell has slit windows, a bunk bed, a toilet, twin lockers, a writing table, a basin, and drains at the perimeters. The prison includes a caged recreation area with basketball and handball facility. The prison has facilities for reheating meals meant to be served to inmates.

Health Services: Health services at FDC Philadelphia include prenatal care, mental health assessments, eyeglasses, medical and dental sick call, and chronic care. Medical appointments are requested by submitting a sick call request form to the Health Services Unit for a fee of $2.00 per visit. Inmates without funds will still receive medical care by submitting a sick call request. Emergency medical care is available 24 hours a day.

Psychology Services: Psychology services include intake screening, group and individual treatment and counseling, mental health assessments, and crisis intervention. Inmates are screened upon arrival and referred to a psychologist, psychiatrist, or mental health specialist for follow-up evaluation and intervention as needed.

Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP): FDC Philadelphia does not house a Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP). A Drug Education Class and the Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program (NR-DAP) is available.

Education Services: FDC Philadelphia provides GED, English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) programs, and Adult Continuing Education (ACE) courses. A parenting program, and re-entry programs such as MoneySmart, Mock Job Fair, Resource Fairs, employment workshops, HIV seminars, Celebrate Recovery support program, financial planning, living on a budget, and other programs are also available. High school diplomas and post-secondary programs are available through paid correspondence programs.

Library Services: FDC Philadelphia offers both leisure and law library to inmates. The leisure library offers magazines, newspapers, fiction, nonfiction, and reference books. Inmates are provided access to legal materials and an opportunity to prepare legal documents through the use of the TRULINCS Electronic Law Library. A copying machine is available to reproduce materials needed for research. Electric typewriters are also available for inmate use.

Commissary: Inmates are allowed to spend $360.00 monthly in the commissary on their assigned shopping days. Clothing, candies, food, drink mixes, and other items are available for purchase. Spending limits on certain items may apply.

Recreation Services: Recreation Services available at FDC Philadelphia include both physical and leisure activities. Physical activities include basketball, mini soccer, handball, volleyball, and aerobic and yoga classes. Body fat analysis, fitness assessments, walking programs, health and wellness classes, and nutrition classes are also available. Leisure activities consist of board games, dominoes, card games, bingo, and music programming. The hobby craft program includes drawing, calligraphy, watercolors, and crochet/knitting.

Admissions and Orientation (A&O) Handbook – This document provides you with general information about the institution, programs, rules, and regulations that you will encounter during your confinement. Familiarizing yourself with this information and knowing your responsibilities will help you to adjustment to institution life.

• FDC Philadelphia Admissions & Orientation Handbook

Commissary List – In 1930 the Department of Justice authorized and established a Commissary at each Federal institution. The Commissary provides a bank type account for your money & for the procurement of articles not issued regularly as part of the institution administration. Funds deposited by your family, friends, or other sources are stored in your commissary account that we maintain.

• List and prices of items sold at the commissary in FDC Philadelphia

Legal Activities – This document outlines the procedures for access to legal reference materials and legal counsel and the opportunities that you will be afforded to prepare legal documents while incarcerated.

• Inmate Legal Activities

visitation Info

Federal Detention Center (FDC) – Philadelphia – Visitation

• Monday 6:15am – 2:30pm
• Tuesday 6:15am – 2:30pm
• Wednesday 6:15am – 2:30pm
• Thursday 6:15am – 2:30pm
• Friday 6:15am – 2:30pm
• Saturday 7:15am – 2:00pm
• Sunday 7:15am – 2:00pm
• Federal holidays 7:15am – 2:00pm

Visitor processing will be discontinued 30 minutes prior to any scheduled institution count. There will be no inmate or visitor movement during this period of time without authorization from the Operations Lieutenant. Visiting room out-counts will be submitted to the Control Center, 30 minutes prior to the scheduled count time. Visitor processing will conclude one hour prior to the completion of inmate visiting,

NOTE: A visitor may not visit male and female inmates at the same time, regardless of their family ties, nor will inmates be allowed to have multiple social visits during the same day.

Male Inmates: Wednesday thru Saturday, visitation will be on a scheduled rotation by floor assignment. Visitation will be held Wednesday thru Friday from 6:15 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Visitation held on weekends and Holidays is from 7:15 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Female Inmates: Sunday, 7:15 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Monday, 6:15 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Visitation held on weekends and Holidays is from 7:15 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Special Housing Unit Inmates: Sunday through Saturday 7:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Visitation will be on a scheduled rotation by floor assignment. Male and Female Special Housing Unit inmates will be allowed to visit on the same day as their assigned units.

Legal Visits: Monday through Friday, 6:15 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, is designated as legal visits only day, 6:15 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Weekend and Federal Holiday legal visitation will be held from 7:15 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Approved Visits & Number of Visitors: Inmates will be permitted to visit a minimum of four hours per month. The following time allotments are in effect for each listed group of inmates:

• Female Inmates – May visit during their entire visiting day, twice a week, totaling approximately sixty-four (64) hours a month.
• General Population Male Inmates – Three (3) hours per visit, once a week, totaling twelve (12) hours per month. Additionally, they will receive up to two (2) hours of visitation on Saturdays and federal holidays.
• SHU Inmates/Non-Contact Visits – One and a half {1 ~) hours per visit, once a week, totaling six (6) hours per month.

Ordinarily, inmates will be allowed no more than five visitors in the visiting room at a time regardless of age. Exceptions may be granted, by request from the Unit Manager, through the Captain, with the approval of the Associate Warden of Programs. Consideration will be given to the availability of space and when needed, special visits will terminate prior to the regularly scheduled visits.

Special Visits: Special visits will be authorized in accordance with established regulations and will not be used to circumvent regulations on background checks or disciplinary sanctions. All special visits must be requested by the Unit Manager, and routed through the Captain and Associate Warden of Programs for approval. A signed memorandum authorizing the visit must be forwarded to the Front Entrance Officer and Visiting Room Officer{s), ordinarily 24 hours prior to the visit. Supervision of special visits will be provided by unit staff during non-visiting hours/days.

REGULAR VISITORS:

• A. Immediate Family Members: These persons include mother, father, step-parents, foster parents, brothers and sisters, spouse, and children.
• B. Friends and Associates: For BOP-Holdover, Writ, and Designated inmates, the visiting privilege ordinarily will be extended to friends and associates having an established relationship with the inmate prior to confinement, unless such visits could reasonably create a threat to the security and good order of the institution. Exceptions to the prior relationship rule may be made when it is shown that the proposed visitor is reliable and poses no threat to the security or good order of the institution.
• C. Persons with Prior Criminal Convictions: The Warden has delegated the Associate Warden of Programs the authority to place a person with a prior criminal conviction on a visiting list after a careful review of the criminal convictions. Unit staff will notify the inmate of the approval or disapproval of the visitor.
• D. Children Under Sixteen. Children under the age of 16 may not visit unless accompanied by a responsible adult. Children shall be kept under the supervision of a responsible adult or a children's program. Exceptions in unusual circumstances may be made by special approval by the Warden. The signature of a parent or legal guardian on the Visitor Information form {BP-A0629) is necessary to process a request for an applicant under 18 years of age. Ordinarily, completing the questionnaire portion of this form (items 1 through 14) is not required if such an applicant is a verified immediate family member of the requesting inmate. In unusual circumstances, the Warden, after consultation with Regional Counsel, may make exceptions to the requirement for acknowledgment by a parent or legal guardian. Children should be controlled to the extent of consideration for others' visiting and not be permitted to wander from the immediate area, run about the visiting room, or create noise that disturbs other visits. Failure to control children will result in termination of the visit. The visiting room officers are not responsible for supervising children. Children 16 and older are required to have a valid photo ID present during processing.

ATTORNEY VISITS: Attorneys are permitted to visit during the visiting hours of 6:15 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Tuesdays are dedicated for legal visits only. Processing will stop at 3:30 p.m., for attorneys in preparation for the 4:00 p.m. count. On weekends and Federal Holidays, Attorneys are permitted to visit during the visiting hours of 7:15 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Processing will stop at 9:30 a.m., in preparation for the 10:00 a.m. count, and will resume when the count is cleared. Attorneys must present a valid federal or state bar identification card and picture identification card. Attorneys must also complete the Notification to Visitor Form. After completing the Notification to Visitor Form, attorneys will be processed through the metal detector and will have their hand stamped before being allowed entry into the Visiting Room. The processing of legal visits will take priority over social visits. Staff may not subject visits between an attorney and an inmate to auditory supervision. Private attorney visiting rooms are available for legal visits and will only be used for that purpose. Legal visits may be conducted in the open visiting room if the designated private rooms are all being utilized and the Attorney requests it.